The Knicks’ path to the NBA title involved contributions from everyone on the roster — even if they did not play a single postseason minute.
Head coach Mike Brown revealed that forward Dillon Jones, who appeared in just seven regular season games for the Knicks, played a key role in the team’s playoff preparation.
“Throughout the course of this run, I got help with the messaging from different people,” Brown said to Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart during a new episode of the “Roommates Show” released on Tuesday.
“I’m gonna tell you guys, you may know this or may not, Dillon [Jones] was fabulous.”
Dillon Jones poses with the Larry O’Brien trophy after the Knicks clinched the NBA championship. NBAE via Getty Images
Most fans didn’t even know Jones was part of the organization until an ill-conceived banner outside City Hall that bore his name and Patrick Ewing’s sacred No. 33, sparking some unexpected parade-day outrage.
The 24-year-old played a total of 39 minutes for New York, but it was his experience before joining the Knicks that proved invaluable.
As a rookie, the 26th overall pick spent the 2024-25 campaign with the Thunder, who defeated the Pacers in seven games to win the NBA Finals.
Head coach Mike Brown revealed that Jones played a pivotal role in the Knicks’ postseason preparation — despite not playing in the postseason. John Jones-Imagn Images
The Weber State product appeared in 54 regular season games and saw some sporadic action in the postseason as Oklahoma City sought to avenge a second-round postseason exit a year prior.
Crazy.
Mike Brown revealed he leaned on DILLON JONES for advice throughout the Knicks’ championship run after Jones won a title with OKC, and that it was his idea to show the team their faces after the loss of the ECF to the Pacers.
“I spoke to Dillon often during this playoff run because he had just gone through it with Oklahoma City,” Brown added. “I said, ‘Hey, when you guys were in this position, what was [head coach] Mark [Daigneault] saying? What was [general manager] Sam Presit saying? What were you guys saying to each other? What do you think here?”
In his first season as Knicks head coach, Brown preached collaboration and communication, a philosophy that led to 13 straight postseason wins and the organization’s first title in 53 years.
The Knicks ended the organization’s 53-year championship drought. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
One of Jones’ most prudent suggestions, according to Brown, was to have the Knicks relive their own postseason disappointment shortcomings.
Before the Knicks opened the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers, Brown had the team’s video department produce a short film focusing on players’ reactions a year prior, when New York fell in six games to the Pacers.
“Mike Brown said that he showed the film and asked the guys, ‘How did you feel in that moment,” ESPN’s Lisa Salters said during a Game 4 report. “Just to remind them of what it felt like to come up short.”
Brown revealed that he was not the mastermind of that motivation tactic.
“That was [Jones’] idea,” Brown said. “He wanted to show still shots of you because [OKC] did something similar to that because they had lost the year before. We took it to another level, we put together a video just to remind everybody that this is what it felt like.”
It’s unclear what type of role, if any, Jones would have next season, but the Knicks could do worse than a player with two NBA championships in his first two seasons.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 31, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Jazz 118-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers’ top priority this summer is finding a center of the future, so it’s no surprise their top target this summer is a big man.
The restricted free agent market is always tricky to navigate, but the two best centers available this summer fall both fall in that category. While Jalen Duren is feuding with the Pistons — and taking a meeting with the Lakers, to be fair — Kessler is also feuding with the Jazz and LA is ready to take advantage.
On Tuesday evening, longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein provided an update on the Lakers’ free agency. On top of reporting of likely deals for Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes, he also noted that Kessler will be the team’s top free agent target this summer.
The growing anticipation leaguewide is that the Lakers ultimately secure commitments on new contracts from Toronto free agent Sandro Mamukelashvili and Philadelphia free agent Quentin Grimes while still pursuing their top summer target: Utah restricted free agent Walker Kessler. https://t.co/pYMRcSyvrn
Kessler held meetings with teams on Tuesday and, while none of the teams were reported, the assumption is the Lakers were among them. The Jazz and Kessler are quite far apart on their next contract, leading to the Lakers believing they can swoop in on a deal.
Unlike Detroit, the Jazz have not signaled a willingness to match any offer made to Kessler. They already have a host of big men in their front court, including Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic.
Chasing a player in restricted free agency is a gamble and the Lakers are putting a lot of chips in that basket. But if it works, it could be a huge win for the purple and gold.
Jun 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) pitches in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the hippest hangout for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the heat. There’s lot of cool in here. There’s no cover charge. We still have a few tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night, I asked you who was the current best reliever in the injury-plagued Cubs bullpen. About 40 percent of you pick Ryan Rolison, which is either pretty impressive or pretty sad, considering that he was in waivers hell this past winter. This past off-season, Rolison was a member of the Rockies, Braves, White Sox and Cubs. Come to think of it, it’s pretty impressive what Rolison has done and it’s pretty sad that the Cubs don’t have Daniel Palencia or some other truly great reliever at the moment.
On Tuesday nights, I don’t do any movie stuff. But I can always find time for jazz. You can skip ahead if you want.
Tonight we are honored to feature saxophonist Kenny Garrett and his Quintet in Amsterdam in February of 2020. So just before the pandemic shut the world down. Garrett is joined by Corcoran Holt on bass, Vernell Brown Jr. on piano, Rudy Bird is the percussionist and the drummer is Samuel Laviso.
This is “Sing a Song of Song.”
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music.
As noted yesterday, the Cubs bullpen has been held together with scotch tape and string this year. Closer Daniel Palencia has hit the injured list twice. Joining him on the 15-day injured list are Ethan Roberts (forearm), Phil Maton (knee) and Hoby Milner (appendix). The 60-day IL is even more crowded with Hunter Harvey (triceps), Porter Hodge (Tommy John) and Riley Martin (left flexor strain). Hodge is definitely out for the year and Harvey and Martin haven’t even made the first steps towards returning yet. Then there is Shelby Miller, whom the Cubs signed coming off of Tommy John surgery and they knew was highly unlikely to pitch this season. So Miller doesn’t count.
My point is, for all the concentration on the injuries to the starting rotation, the bullpen has been banged up just as badly. As an aside, I think Craig Counsell has accomplished an almost impossible task of keeping this team not just in the hunt, but a strong favorite to make the playoffs despite all the injuries to the pitching staff. Counsell has earned his salary this year.
So while the Cubs are almost certain to try to add another starting pitcher by the trade deadline, they’re also likely to add to the bullpen. The best reliever likely to be on the market is someone Cubs fans are already familiar with: Red Sox left-hander Aroldis Chapman.
I don’t need to remind you of the almost superhuman heroics that Chapman performed throughout the 2016 playoffs and World Series. Manager Joe Maddon rode him like a rented mule (because, metaphorically, he was a magnificent rented mule) in the World Series and it was clear that by Game 7, Chapman was out of gas. He gave up that home run to Rajai Davis that none of us will forget. In fairness to him, Davis hit a good pitch. But Chapman stayed in the game and gutted out the ninth inning, despite clearly being exhausted. Whether it was luck, fate or Chapman’s willpower, he got through the ninth inning. The Cubs won it in the tenth and Aroldis Chapman is the only pitcher in the history of the Cubs to have a Game 7 win.
That was ten years ago. Now Chapman is ten years older at 38. His fastball doesn’t average 100 miles per hour anymore. The four-seamer is “only” 97 these days. However, when Chapman was last a Cub, he was mostly a fastball/slider pitcher. These days, Chapman has added a sinker, which comes in at 98 and which has become his primary and best pitch. He throws it even more than his four-seamer. He still has the slider, but that is now a third offering. His changeup is now his fourth pitch. After several years of being just a decent relief pitcher, Chapman is back to being elite.
This year with the Red Sox, Chapman has made 26 appearances for 24.1 innings. He’s 0-3 with a 2.19 ERA and has converted 16 of 18 save appearances. Chapman has struck out 32 batters and walked 12. That’s a K% of 30.2 and a BB% of 11.3. Opposing hitters are batting an anemic .204 off of him.
So it’s clear that Chapman would be a big upgrade to the bullpen. What would it take for the Cubs to acquire him from the Red Sox? Chapman is a free agent at the end of the year and the good news is that the days of giving up a Top 100 prospect like Gleyber Torres for a two-month rental of a reliever are likely over. So not Jaxon Wiggins, Josiah Hartshorn, Owen Ayers or anyone like that. Probably not Matt Shaw either, unless the Red Sox want to toss in Sonny Gray. (And probably not even then, since the Cubs kind of need Shaw this year.) But I do think it would probably cost two good prospects, one of which would have to be a top ten Cubs prospect. So getting Chapman would hurt. However, one reason a team builds up a good farm system is to trade some of it away for current major leaguers.
Then there is the other elephant in the room, which is something the Cubs dealt with back in 2016: Chapman’s 2015 arrest and 30 game suspension for domestic violence. The criminal charges against Chapman for that incident were dropped, but domestic violence advocates will tell you that is common no matter what the circumstances.
I can’t tell you how you should feel about that. I strongly believe that domestic violence is a serious issue that needs to have more serious consequences. I can tell you that I didn’t feel good cheering for Chapman in 2016, even though I obviously wanted him to succeed. But if you don’t want Chapman on the Cubs because of that, I don’t blame you. I might even agree with you.
However, I also believe in second chances and redemption when it is warranted. I believe people can change. Has Chapman earned a second chance? I can’t say I’ve followed his career closely enough to say one way or the other. I do know that there hasn’t been another domestic violence incident in the last decade speaks to Chapman having changed. Except that we have to put a “that we know about” qualifier in there.
So tonight’s question is “Should the Cubs try to trade for Aroldis Chapman?”
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Jun 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Nelson Velazquez (38) celebrates after a home run against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
There’s a baseball saying you may have heard: “you can’t walk off the island.” While it generally pertains to MLB’s international free agency system in reference to the Caribbean, the Braves lived their own version of it tonight in a 5-3 loss to the Cardinals: maybe some teams can walk their way to a win, but it’s probably not these Braves.
The game itself, well, you’ve seen it before. Maybe not all together, but enough similar snippets throughout this dreadful month, and in past years, that you get the idea. The Braves give up homers, don’t hit homers, and do enough to make it interesting but not actually enough to win. The kicker in all this is that the Braves sent seven to the plate in the eighth inning, at one point loading the bases and putting the tying run on second. The only run they actually scored in that inning? It came on a wild pitch. That’s how the month has gone, that’s how this game went, and the Braves will probably want to figure out something on the offensive end before too long, or it won’t matter whether they walk or run or don’t run or whether any islands are involved.
Matthew Liberatore has not had a good season, and has had an awful June. He had a good start in this one, but I wonder how much of that was just the Braves being ill-suited for what he brought (or didn’t bring) to the table. Liberatore had four walks and a hit-by-pitch in five innings, but he struck out nine. The Braves got the leadoff man on in every inning from the second through the sixth, but only scored one — and that came thanks to a steal, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly.
It seemed for a bit that Liberatore’s issues might do him in: he walked two to start the second. But then, he struck out the side. The killer was Austin Riley striking out on a hanging slider with one out, but Joey Bart also took two strikes to end the frame. In the third, Matt Olson took two hittable fastballs to fall behind 0-2 before a strike three whiff on a hanging curve. I won’t go over every PA, but you get the idea. Liberatore wasn’t exactly filling up the zone, but the Braves seemed utterly baffled on when to swing or not swing — kinda-sorta seeming like they wanted to draw walks if he wasn’t going to throw strikes, but not actually really battling or anything to get the walks or anything else, either.
On the flip side, Martin Perez had a bad pachinko day, and eh. I can’t really beat anyone up about it, because this is what you get when you start Perez, so you either have to do something to overcome the bad pachinko or you can just accept it’ll be a loss when it happens. Perez managed just one strikeout through three scoreless, gave up a game-tying homer on a down-the-middle 3-2 cutter to Nelson Velazquez, and then a three-run homer to Nathan Church later in the inning. He finished with a 1/3 K/BB ratio in five innings, which was pretty much ballgame, because the Braves have hit multiple homers just four times in June, and they sure as hell weren’t going to clear a deficit without them given their lineup. James Karichak had a leadoff walk turn into a run the nearly same way the Braves scored their first — walk, steal, wild pitch, sac fly. Dylan Dodd, Ian Hamilton, and Raisel Iglesias (getting some work in) held down the fort the rest of the way, but to no avail.
The Braves plated a second run in the seventh with a two-out rally: a walk (what else?), Drake Baldwin’s o-fer-snapping bloop single (his first hit in about two weeks), and a midrange liner by Ozzie Albies. Matt Olson had a chance to do something cool, but he fouled off the two strikes he got, and hit a 2-2 pitch running in on him weakly for a groundout.
Then came the eighth. Mauricio Dubon had a solid single. Mike Yastrzemski had an infield single to the left of the third baseman. Austin Riley then had the most emblematic PA: he took a pitch down the middle that probably should’ve been a three-run game-tying homer, later swung at a pitch that bounced, and struck out on another fastball down the middle that probably also should’ve been a game-tying three-run homer. If you’re not going to swing at a first-pitch fastball because you might not be able to hit it (as evinced by the strikeout pitch), I’m not sure you should be playing. And if you’re sitting there taking a first-pitch fastball, as the Braves have done repeatedly in June, the offensive approach might need to be seriously reshuffled in the coming days. The Braves then deployed Rowdy Tellez and Dominic Smith as consecutive pinch-hitters: both walked, with a wild pitch to Tellez scoring the third Braves run. Baldwin battled, but ultimately, he couldn’t actually hook a fastball on the low-and-inside corner anywhere useful, and hit it weakly to second.
Olson finally unloaded on a hittable sinker in the ninth for a one-out double, but the other three batters in the frame hit exceedingly weak groundouts. The first two were on very crushable pitches, so yeah, there’s a lot of work to do teamwide here to get back to the “swing early and hit it real hard” stuff they were doing in April and May. Until that happens, this result will be fairly common, whether they manage to walk a bunch or not.
The division lead is down to 2.5 games. The series continues tomorrow.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JUNE 26: Darryn Peterson arrives at the airport after being drafted as the second overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at Salt Lake City Airport greeted by fans on June 26, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Take a breath, people. This article is a momentary bubble of safety from the ongoing Walker Kessler free agency debacle. I will not be adding my fingerprints to the growing collection of my peers’ on the big red illuminating “PANIC” button. I don’t need that kind of anxiety in my life, so I opt to write about Utah’s fertile garden of blossoming youth.
Let’s instead emphasize what is good and happy in the Salt Lake Valley, and that is the second overall pick, Darryn Peterson.
In his first days in the Beehive State, Peterson is quickly familiarizing himself with his teammates, coaches, and the systems that Will Hardy has installed.
“I think the quickest thing is how quick he’s learning,” Third-year Jazzman Cody Williams shared during a media availability. “Even from yesterday to today, you can see he’s a lot more comfortable in the offense, making his reads and getting to his spots. He has a high IQ.”
Cody Williams and Ace Bailey discuss what they’ve seen from Darryn Peterson in his first few days with the Utah Jazz and reflect on their own rookie transitions to show what it takes to find your role in the NBA. #darrynpeterson#takenotepic.twitter.com/Op1Ultf0lm
The (big air quotes here) “veterans” will join Peterson on Utah’s Summer League team this season, and clearly hold plenty of sage wisdom and vital advice for a youngster still finding his footing on a new stage.
Williams and Bailey have survived the rookie experience, and continue to find what they do well and how they can contribute to winning in this exciting new era of Utah Jazz basketball.
On top of ball-handling and court vision, I’d love to see Cody Williams absorb some of the nutrients radiating from Darryn Peterson’s celestial jump shot. This clip of Utah’s rookie putting up a shot is so satisfying it melted me into a heap on my office chair.
One uninterrupted motion, smooth like Carlos Santana, and delicately grazing the net on its way through the cylinder, this is the type of tape you’ll see from a million players of varying skill levels, but not to this degree. This is the type of consistency of a generational shooter — the Utah Jazz somehow came away with this guy without the number-one pick.
Williams likewise arrived in Utah without the benefit of the number-one overall pick, but you get my point.
Disturbing content warning here, but Cody has only eclipsed three-point shooting clips of 25.9% as a rookie and 21.4% as a sophomore. These are abysmal metrics for a player who shot 40% at Colorado (on an admittedly limited sample size). He’ll need to find the range for at least 30% at his position, or his role on the team will be extremely situational. I can think of another wing who prided himself on how well he could see the floor, and that player is no longer in the NBA despite being the number-one pick in 2016.
This image is an omen, Cody; give heed, for heaven’s sake.
Williams and Bailey have experience on their sides and should absolutely feel comfortable in showing DP the ropes in his first days with the team. But make no mistake, Peterson will be the best player on the court from the first minute of Summer League. There’s a lot he’ll need to figure out, but it won’t be long before he’s teaching his elders.
TORONTO — Nolan McLean’s continued development is among the few compelling reasons to watch the Mets these days.
In what has been an inconsistent season for the rookie right-hander, nights like Tuesday offer a reminder of McLean’s elite stuff and the promise of his name in Cy Young award conversations as his career progresses.
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McLean limited walks and Toronto’s solid contact on this night, carrying the Mets to a 3-0 victory at Rogers Centre.
In a second sharp performance in his last three, McLean fired six shutout innings, allowing five hits and two walks, and striking out seven. McLean’s bullpen handled the rest, securing the Mets only their second victory in 11 games.
“I am just trying to get better every time I go out there and find new things that work or old things that I kind of went away from that I should stick by,” McLean said. “It always goes back to landing offspeed [pitches]. That is just a big key for me. Anytime I can do that and keep guys off my fastball, that is really good.”
Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens each homered to give the Mets offensive highlights on a night Kevin Gausman was nearly as tough as McLean, allowing only one run over six innings.
McLean, whose ERA dropped to 3.78, rebounded from a shaky outing against the Cubs last week in which he allowed two homers and six earned runs. This latest performance was his third in June with one earned run or less allowed and at least six innings pitched.
Nolan McLean throws a pitch during the first inning of a the Mets’ 3-0 win over the Blue Jays on June 30, 2026 in Toronto. Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP
“It’s been fun seeing him bounce back from a tougher stretch,” interim manager Andy Green said, referring to McLean’s bumpy May. “Last game a little was made about a couple of home runs that skewed the line, but he’s just mixing his pitches incredibly well and he’s got different ways to end at-bats. He was competitive all day. He was in the zone all day. That from start to finish was as clean and dominant as he’s been all year.”
The Mets (36-50) can get a series victory — something they have not accomplished since beating the Braves two of three games in mid-June — when Freddy Peralta gets the ball on Wednesday.
McLean escaped trouble in the fourth after surrendering a two-out double to Daulton Varsho and walking Luis Urías by retiring Yohendrick Piñango. Bo Bichette handled the tough short hop at third base and threw out Piñango.
Francisco Alvarez (right) is greeted by second baseman Brett Baty after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of the Mets’ win over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Alvarez’s homer leading off the fifth gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. It was the ninth homer of the season for Alvarez and his fourth in nine games. Alvarez jumped on a 1-2 four-seam fastball from Gausman and cleared the center field fence.
McLean allowed an infield single to George Springer in the fifth before getting the final two outs. In the sixth he walked Ernie Clement before striking out Varsho and retiring Urías to conclude the inning and his outing, at 91 pitches.
“I thought it was the best overall command of [the curveball] he’s had in some time,” Green said. “There weren’t many, at all, bad misses with it and that is a pitch he can tug from time to time and get it in on the feet of left-handed batters or way away from righties where it’s not tempting. He kept it near the plate almost the entire day, so it was really well done.”
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Torrens homered in the seventh to extend the Mets lead to 2-0. Torrens jumped on a 2-2 cutter from lefty Mason Fluharty and cleared the right field fence for his second homer this season. Torrens’ other homer came on June 5 in San Diego.
Brett Baty’s sacrifice fly in the ninth scored A.J. Ewing, who singled leading off and reached second on an errant pickoff throw, giving the Mets their final run.
Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver and Devin Williams combined to roll through the final three innings scoreless. Weaver extended his scoreless innings streak to 24 over his last 22 appearances.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Keon Ellis #14 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on March 01, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets first free agent signing of the 2026 off-season is Keon Ellis, a 26-year-old 6’4″ 3-and-D shooting guard. Ellis, who played last season for the Sacramento Kings and Cleveland Cavaliers, will be paid $18 million over the next two seasons under the proposed deal.
Shams Charania was first with the news…
Free agent guard Keon Ellis has agreed to a two-year, $18 million guaranteed deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/YdLqrFZHhq
Shams also noted that the contract has an odd “mutual option” …
The deal, negotiated by Mark Bartelstein and Torrian Jones of @PrioritySports, contains a full mutual option that fully guarantees the $18M for Ellis while allowing both sides to have a conversation about a new deal next summer, but either party can opt-in (not opt-out). https://t.co/Nsn42dwy0v
Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic explained the option this way…
Keon Ellis has agreed to a 2-year, $18 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets, league sources confirmed to @FredKatz and me. The contract has a team AND player option for Year 2, so either side can choose to opt in. @ShamsCharania first on it.
Ellis, a product of Alabama, is going into his fifth season. After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, Ellis signed a two-way contract with the Sacramento Kings in July 2022 and established his reputation as tough defender and solid shooter. At the trade deadline, Ellis was traded to the Cavaliers where he finished out his three year, $5.1 million vets’ minimum deal.
For the season, in 72 games, 11 starts, Ellis averaged 6.7 points, 1.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 20.5 minutes, with 44/36/73 shooting splits. For his career, Ellis has shot 40.7% from deep. But his big attraction to the Nets is on the other side of the court, being a solid point-of-attack defender in Jordi Fernandez’s schemes. His numbers tell the story…
Indeed, Fernandez was the associate head coach of the Kings when Ellis played in Sacramento between 2022 and 2024.
There will presumably be a logjam at guard, with Terance Mann, second year players Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf as well as this year’s lottery pick, Mikel Brown Jr. Other than Mann and to a lesser degree Powell, however, none are known for the defense.
Yossi Gozlan quickly turned out one of his patented updates on how the signing will effect the Nets salary cap.
Brooklyn Nets salary cap situation with Keon Ellis.
Cap space is fluid in terms of how to procedurally sign him, Day'Ron Sharpe, and Josh Minott.
Ellis later reported that the 3-and-D guards’ value has been difficult to guage, noting that Ellis will make considerably more than Jordan Goodwin, 27, who is at $6.3 million, and Jose Alvarado, 28, with a brand new $4.9 million deal, but none of them is as good a 3-point shooter as Ellis.
Bottom line: Sean Marks & co. still have more than $30 million available.
Jun 30, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Mets 3 Blue Jays 0
Not only did we lose…..we were boring losing.
It is hard to stay interested in a game where we only six hits (five singles and a double), spread out across the nine innings. Nolan McLean was very good in the starting role for the Mets, but we should have been able to get something off
Luis Urías had two hits, and really seemed to be the one batter that was doing well. Varsho had our only extra base hit, a double (he also almost beat out an infield hit in the ninth). Springer, Kirk and Pinango had the other singles.
Beyond that…..Bo Bichette had an amazing day defensively at third base. We had him miscast as a shortstop (at least by his play today. He is a +2 OAA at third this year, and a -2 at short. I never thought he had the range for short, but he definitely had the arm for third. At least today. With the bat, he was 1 for 4.
Other than that, Kevin Gausman, after two poor starts, was excellent. 6 innings, 5 hits, 1 earned, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. The run against was a Francisco Alvarez fifth inning home run.
The Mets got another home run off Mason Fluharty by Luis Torrens.
And one more in the ninth. Tommy Nance gave up a single to A.J. Ewing (JR and Bobby’s brother who didn’t make it into the show). An error by Sean Keys on a pick off, moved him to second. A ground out moved him to third. And a sac fly scored him.
Jay of the Day: Gausman (0.18 WPA, he really was terrific).
Other Awards: Lukes (-0.12, for an 0 for 4, k), Keys (-0.11, plus the error, 0 for 4, 2 k), Gimenez (-0.10, 0 for 3, k and a rather poor bunt single attempt) and Fluharty (-0.09).
Tomorrow we have a day game. 3:00 Eastern. It is bullpen day for the Jays, Braydon Fisher will be the opener. Freddy Peralta (5-6, 4.53) starts for the Mets.
Given their sudden offensive ineptitude and that Tarik Skubal was the opposing starter, the Yankees defense and pitching needed to flirt with perfection to give them a chance. The flirtation was over within minutes.
A rough first inning put the Yankees in a four-run hole, which felt more like a four-run canyon, in what would become a 9-3 smacking by the Tigers in front of 37,211 frustrated, booing fans in The Bronx on Tuesday.
“We’re not scoring. That’s the name of the game,” said manager Aaron Boone, whose Yankees (48-37) have dropped a season-high six straight games, are doing nothing right, hitting particularly wrong and hearing from the crowd after each mistake.
Aaron Boone takes Cam Schlittler out of the game during the fifth inning of the Yankees’ 9-3 loss to the Tigers on June 30, 2026 at the Stadium. Robert Sabo for New York Post
Never in the Yankees’ century-plus of baseball had they been held to three or fewer hits in four straight games before their four games from Friday through Monday.
They managed to snap that streak Tuesday — only because of a couple of garbage-time knocks in the ninth doubled their output to four hits.
They finished with one hit in six innings against Skubal, who upstaged Schlittler (four innings, six runs on four homers) in a matchup that was far more appealing on paper than on the field.
Amed Rosario (left) and Ben Rice (right) look on with a dejected Yankees teammate during their ugly loss to the Tigers. Bill Kostroun / New York Post
“It’s difficult, but all we can do is show up tomorrow and get to work,” said Anthony Volpe, 2-for-21 (.095) in his past seven games. “Everyone’s pissed.”
Ben Rice cranked a home run in the bottom of the first, but the next 13 Yankees were retired by Skubal, who sure looked like the prize of the trade deadline.
But then again, Detroit’s Casey Mize (seven scoreless, one-hit innings) looked like a Cy Young candidate Monday. Just like Boston’s Sonny Gray (7 ¹/₃ scoreless, one-hit innings) looked like a superstar Sunday. Just like Boston’s Jake Bennett (6 ¹/₃ one-run, three-hit innings) looked like a revelation Saturday. Just like Boston’s Payton Tolle (seven scoreless, one-hit innings) looked like the AL Rookie of the Year on Friday.
Cam Schlittler looks on after hitting the deck on Colt Keith’s line drive single to center field during the first inning. Bill Kostroun / New York Post
A team that does not have Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon has fallen into a funk whose depth, at least when measured in hits, had never been seen before in franchise history.
“Right now it’s kind of like the whole team is kind of going through something all at once,” said Rice, whose homer halted a five-game hitless skid.
Paul Goldschmidt is 0-for-16 in his past five games. Cody Bellinger took a seat against Skubal amid a 2-for-27 (.074) stretch. José Caballero, who also botched a potential double-play ball that immediately preceded a three-run homer in the sixth, is 1-for-17 (.059) in his past five games.
A dejected Aaron Judge looks on during the Yankees’ loss to the Tigers. Robert Sabo for New York Post
No one has stepped up at any part of the lineup for a team that has scored just 15 runs in six games and has not scored more than four in a contest since June 19.
“We got some guys missing that are key, but the people we got are very capable,” said Boone, whose Yankees are ending June swooning. “And we need to start getting some of our offensive mojo back.”
The final 8 ½ innings felt inconsequential after the top of the first, this version of the Yankees seemingly incapable of mounting threats.
The third batter of the game, Kerry Carpenter, launched a two-out drive to deep center. Jones had a bead on it, reached the wall, jumped and used his 6-foot-7 stature to bring his glove high above the wall’s height.
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The ball landed in the glove, and Yankee Stadium cheered — before realizing that as Jones hit the wall, the ball had bounced out of his glove and into the home bullpen for a home run. Jones appeared in disbelief that he did not make the catch.
What happened next was probably more unbelievable: 27 additional pitches from Schlittler in the frame, including homers to Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson.
“[We are] just not playing good ball right now,” said Schlittler, whose ERA rose from 1.62 to 2.08. “It’s my job to come in here and try to stop that bleeding, and I couldn’t get that done.”
The Nets and free agent guard Keon Ellis have agreed to a two-year, $18 million guaranteed deal, reports ESPN's Shams Charania.
The signing came shortly after the NBA free agency negotiating window opened and gives Brooklyn some depth at the guard position.
Ellis, 26, has played four seasons in the league and was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Cleveland Cavaliers during last season's trade deadline. With the Cavs, Ellis averaged 8.3 points in 29 games.
For his career, the University of Alabama product who went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft has averaged 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game while playing in 225 games (60 starts).
Jun 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Nathan Church (27) celebrates after a three-run home run against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Matthew Liberatore teetered on the edge a few times, but at the end of the day gave the St. Louis Cardinals the outing they and he needed. The Cardinals offense finally came uncorked in the 4th inning to provide the runs to give St. Louis a win in Atlanta Wednesday night, but the late innings had a bit of drama.
Matthew Liberatore started the game with a solid 1st inning, but there were moments after that when he looked like he might have a repeat of recent struggles. Liberatore walked the first two batters in the bottom of the 2nd inning, but then struck out the next 3. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, he gave up a leadoff single to Jorge Mateo who stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. But, instead of the wheels coming off, he struck out the dangerous Drake Baldwin. Yes, Ozzie Albies managed a sacrifice fly to Nootbaar in left to give the Braves a 1-0 lead, but Matthew struck out Matt Olson to end the Atlanta 3rd inning and minimize the damage. He would not allow any more Atlanta Braves runners in scoring position his remaining time in the game which lasted into the start of the bottom of the 6th inning. Liberatore’s stat line for the night ended up being a very impressive 5 innings only allowing 1 hit and 1 earned run while striking out 9 while walking 4.
It was the top of the 4th inning when the St. Louis Cardinals offense would come alive. It began with Nelson Velázquez who absolutely launched an 85 mph Martin Perez mistake 444 feet into the void over the center field wall tying the game at 1-1. Make sure your sound is turned up and you’ll hear the ball sound like it was shot from a cannon. BOOM!
The Cardinals were just getting started in their half of the 4th inning. Two batters later, Masyn Winn and Lars Nootbaar would single. After Blaze Jordan softly lined out to short, Nathan Church didn’t miss an 81 mph changeup and ripped it over the right field wall giving the Cardinals a 4-1 lead.
George Soriano came into the game to replace Matthew Liberatore after manager Oli Marmol took major issues with a missed check swing call from the 3rd base umpire. Soriano would pitch around the leadoff walk by Liberatore to keep the Braves off the board.
St. Louis would get a badly-needed insurance run in the top of the 6th inning when Masyn Winn walked and then stole second. He advanced to third on a wild pitch by Braves reliever James Karinchak. Blaze Jordan would then come through with a one-out sacrifice fly upping the Cardinals lead to 5-1.
George Soriano would remain in the game two outs into the bottom of the 7th inning when he gave up a walk to Mateo. JoJo Romero was brought in to finish the inning, but he allowed a single to Baldwin and then Ozzie Albies which would score Mateo reducing the Cardinals lead to 5-2.
The Cardinals would miss a chance to get that run back in the top of the 8th inning when Jose Fermin drew a one-out walk. After Masyn Winn lined out to right, Lars Nootbaar went with a pitch and hit a sharp single to left field giving St. Louis a first and third opportunity, but Blaze Jordan flew out to deep center to end the Cardinals 8th.
JoJo Romero would also be the Cardinals answer to start the bottom of the 8th inning, but he wouldn’t finish it after giving up two singles to the Braves before being taken out of the game as Austin Riley came up to the plate as the potential tying run. Ryan Fernandez, who was just activated from the IL as Ryne Stanek was placed on the paternity list, came in to face the slumping, but dangerous Riley. He would be charged with a wild pitch on his second pitch advancing both runners into scoring position at second and third. He would fortunately sneak a 95 mph four-seam fastball past Austin for the second out of the inning. The Braves then sent up pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez to try and swing for the fences and tie the game. That didn’t happen, but Fernandez did throw another wild pitch giving the Braves a run and cutting the Cardinals lead to 5-3. Tellez would eventually walk bringing up the potential go-ahead run. Atlanta sent another pinch-hitter up in the form of Dominic Smith. Fernandez walked him, too, loading the bases. Drake Baldwin had the chance to do big damage with Fernandez being wilder than a March hare. The Cardinals fan base held its collective breath when the count reached 3-2, but after fouling off what would have been ball four, Baldwin grounded weakly out to JJ Wetherholt to end the inning. Whew.
The Cardinals could do nothing against Braves reliever Raisel Inglesias in the top of the 9th inning which meant Cardinals reliever Riley O’Brien would handle the bottom of the 9th inning with a 2-run lead. He was able to get Ozzie Albies out on a groundout to JJ Wetherholt, but Matt Olson crushed a sinker up in the zone to the center field wall for a double. That brought up Michael Harris II up to the plate as the potential tying run. He fortunately grounded out harmlessly to Masyn Winn at short as Olson advanced to third base. Mauricio Dubon was the Braves final hope, but he grounded out to short also to end the game.
The St. Louis Cardinals will take another swing at the Atlanta Braves Wednesday night as Michael McGreevy will get the start for the good guys. The Braves will send Reynaldo López to the mound for a 6:15pm central time start at Truist Park. TV broadcast available through Cardinals.tv.
Jun 30, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Mets are now 2-3 in the Andy Green era, after taking the second game of their three-game series with the Blue Jays, 3-0.
Both teams had their shots early in this game, but neither team could capitalize. Over his first four innings, Nolan McLean allowed four hits and a walk, but all of those happened with two outs, and none came around to score, or even make it to third base.
On the Mets’ side, their best opportunity against Kevin Gausman early came in the fourth when Juan Soto walked, Bo Bichette singled the other way, Francisco Lindor moved them along with a ground ball to the left side, putting two on with one out. But they couldn’t capitalize, and so the game remained scoreless going into the fifth.
The Mets finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth when Francisco Alvarez hit a towering shot to deep center field to put the Mets up 1-0. The Mets would put two more on base, but a Bichette fly ball ended the threat with just the one run scoring.
McLean, rocking just a mustache after trimming the beard off of his Van Dyke, had his best start of the season thus far. He tossed six scoreless innings, allowing five hits and two walks, while striking out seven. After a rough ending to is last start, this was a great bounce back performance for the Mets’ ace in waiting.
Luis Torrens lined an outside pitch to the opposite field, landing just over the right field wall to put the Mets up 2-0. From that point, the bullpen cruised, with Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver each throwing scoreless innings. For Weaver, it was his 24th consecutive scoreless inning; he has now not allowed a run to score in two months.
The Mets added a run in the top of the ninth when A.J. Ewing singled, advanced to second on a bad pick-off attempt, a runner-advancing ground out, and a sacrifice fly.
Devin Williams came in for the ninth and, after winning a challenge on a close play at first base, closed the game out while allowing one baserunner.
It was overall a crisp game for the Mets, which saw good at-bats from Brett Baty, some solid defensive play from Bichette at third, and good pitching across the entire game.
The rubber game of the series is tomorrow at Rogers Centre, with Freddy Peralta going for the Mets and the ol’ workhorse “TBD” starting for the Jays.
Big Mets winner: Nolan McLean, +37.0% WPA Big Mets loser: Jared Young and A.J. Ewing, -9.0% WPA Mets pitchers: +58.0% WPA Mets hitters: – 8.0% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Francisco Alvarez’s home run, +14.2% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Ernie Clament’s sixth inning walk, -4.4% WPA
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) works to the basket as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) defends in the first half of Game 2 in a second-round...
Luke Kennard won’t return to the Lakers for the 2026-27 season.
The free agent guard is leaving the Lakers for the Suns in free agency after just half a season with the Lakers.
Kennard, who was an unrestricted free agent, agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal that was first reported by ESPN.
One of the league’s best shooters since entering the league out of Duke in 2017, Kennard led the league in 3-point shooting percentage (47.8%) for the third time in his career.
Luke Kennard won’t return to the Lakers for the 2026-27 season. APLuke Kennard reacts to a foul call. Getty Images
Kennard averaged 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3 assists in six-game opening round series victory over the Rockets, and 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the Lakers’ playoff run that ended with a second-round sweep to the Thunder.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Anthony Davis and Melody Ehsani attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Washington Wizards at Crypto.com Arena on March 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards are NOT interested in trading center Anthony Davis, according Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports.
The Washington Wizards are not interested in trading 10-time NBA All-Star forward Anthony Davis and are not listening to trade offers for him, a source told @espn@andscape. Another NBA team exec says Wizards GM Will Dawkins is a huge fan of AD.
Keep in mind that things can change real quick during this time of the year in the NBA. But if some of the top NBA insiders say that the Wizards aren’t trading a top star, it’s more likely that that is the case.
Keon Ellis of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes to the basket as Mouhamed Gueye of the Atlanta Hawks defends during the third quarter at State Farm Arena on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
With green guards and precious little defense, the Nets needed to add a veteran in the backcourt and pressure at the point of attack.
They’re hoping Keon Ellis can bring both — and on a team-friendly deal.
The Nets and Ellis agreed to a two-year, $18 million contract Tuesday on the first night of free agency. It was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Post.
The deal includes a full mutual option. It fully guarantees Ellis his $18 million, while still letting both sides negotiate a new deal next summer. Either can opt in.
The Nets would still have nearly $35 million in salary cap space left, per Third Apron cap guru Yossi Gozlan, if they take Ellis and Josh Minott into cap space and Day’Ron Sharpe into the room mid-level exception.
Keon Ellis of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes to the basket as Mouhamed Gueye of the Atlanta Hawks defends during the third quarter at State Farm Arena on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
The Nets spent first-round picks on guards Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf last season, and Mikel Brown Jr. last week. None are expected to be defensive stalwarts, while wing Drake Powell has yet to grow into that role.
Point-of-attack defenders who can actually shoot — prototypical 3-and-D types — are pricey in the NBA, but Ellis may provide some of that archetype.
The 26-year-old Ellis played for Cleveland after being traded midseason from Sacramento. Nets head coach Jordi Fernández was a Kings assistant for two years while Ellis was there, and now they’ll have a reunion in Brooklyn.
Ellis went undrafted and has never earned more than the veteran’s minimum. But he’s a career 40.7 percent shooter from 3-point range and hit 35.5 percent last season for the Cavaliers en route to averaging 8.3 points.
But after averaging 24 minutes in the regular season and notching a plus-4.5 net rating, he struggled in the postseason. He averaged just seven minutes and recorded a minus-15.9 Net Rating in 12 appearances.
Still, playoff struggles are a luxury for the rebuilding Nets, a long way from those sorts of worries. Considering how defensively challenged they are — and how young their backcourt is — it’s easy to see Ellis earning a significant rotation role.
Ellis was fifth in the NBA in steals per 100 possessions in 2024-25 and 15th this past season, when he ranked in the 93rd percentile in steals.
Keon Ellis of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks during the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena on March 27, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Getty Images
The Nets still have plenty of cap space and even more needs.
They’re unlikely to trade for Boston’s Jaylen Brown, league sources said.
Despite the Nets being linked with the Celtics All-Star, The Post reported Monday that they weren’t likely to deal for him, a league source saying, “I wouldn’t put much stock in it.” The Stein Line confirmed the same Tuesday. But trading away Nic Claxton has left a hole at center and made Day’Ron Sharpe the nominal starter.
Although the Nets have been linked with Jalen Duren and Walker Kessler, both are restricted free agents and seem rich for the Nets’ blood.
So where could Brooklyn look? Across the East River, with The Post reporting the Knicks are unlikely to keep Mitchell Robinson and the Nets have interest.
Robinson leads the NBA in offensive rebounds per 36 minutes and per 100 possessions; Sharpe is fifth in both. The Nets re-signed Sharpe to a two-year, $20 million deal, a team-friendly contract that looks even cheaper weighed against Jock Landale’s one-year, $14 million pact. But prying Robinson away from the Knicks would give the Nets the best rebounding 1-2 punch they’ve ever had.
Robinson is widely expected to command an annual salary starting at $15 million and possibly as high as $20 million.
Two other options are more offensively oriented, in Orlando’s Moritz Wagner and Toronto’s Sandro Mamukelashvili. But the Lakers are not only meeting with Duren but reportedly comfortable offering Mamukelashvili $10 million annually, per SNY. The latter won’t protect the rim, but he’ll pass the ball and space the floor, shooting 38.9 percent from deep this past season.
Another target is Wagner, 29, who would stretch the floor and bring toughness. He averaged just 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.9 minutes last season, seeing his playing time slashed in Orlando. He could see it rise in Brooklyn.
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